Well well well.  Very frustrating.  After a lengthy description of my biking in the keys last month, I hit something that wiped out the entire post.  So, I will try again soon. Here we go again.  Obviously, the first thing I do when I get to south Florida I rent a bike from Eaton Bike shop.  My daily rides begin with a 20 miler east along route 1.  I turn around about ten miles at the Navel Air Base and each day extend it a bit further until it turns into 30 miles round trip.  What has become a tradition is my ride from Marathon to Key West....a fifty miler.  This years venture turned to be quite an adventure.  First, I encountered three bouts of rain.  Nothing severe but enough to get me wet.  I was able to outrun each but the last one caught me as I took a needed rest.  Also, on the treacherous 7 mile bridge I hit a metal bar that some idiot threw onto the small shoulder.   After temporarily losing control and fully expecting to crash, I was able to recover and continue over the bridge.  I did lose my water bottle but wasn't about to turn around as it is dangerous enough. Besides, I could get water in many places along the road.  The next obstacle was a construction area that forced me to ride on the road.  It only lasted a mile but cars passed at an uncomfortable distance....considerably less than the 3 foot required in Illinois.  Entering Key West after the 50 mile trek, I stopped to make a phone call.  As I un-clipped, I noticed my right cleat wouldn't re clip as I resumed but I was still able to pedal without clipping.  As it turned out, a screw holding the cleat was missing.   Not to worry.  I would just go to the bike shop to resolve the issue.  Unfortunately, I couldn't just replace the screw.  I needed to purchase the entire cleat set.  I returned to our cottage and thought I would do another ride.  After setting my cleat, I discovered I could not remove it.  After another brief panic, I removed my right foot and had to unsaddle with my foot still attached to the pedal.  The only way to resolve the problem was to remove my foot from the shoe.  I took the bike with shoe attached to the bike shop.  After a bit of a struggle, the mechanic was able to remove the shoe.  He tried to tell me the shoe was the problem but I knew that wasn't the case.  I only wear these in Florida and they were used not more than a dozen times.  He finally figured out the problem and case resolved.  Another exciting episode biking in the winter in Key West.   My next entry will be centered on the new and different experience in restaurants in Key West.  As many times as we have been to the area we found a couple new great restaurants. Stay tuned